What people are saying about Governor Cuomo’s plan to cut property taxes:

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano said,

"For far too long, New York State spent too much, taxed too high and reformed too little. Governor Cuomo has changed the State's dismal path. This budget, along with the tax relief it provides, gives back to hard-working families who know how best to spend their own money. I am proud to support the Governor's tax cutting budget initiatives."

"I concur with the Governor’s statement that there are an excessive number of taxing districts, most of which are local governments, in New York State. The vast majority of these governments provide the same level of services to their residents which results in excessive duplication of resources and substantial cost to the taxpayers. As part of an effort to address this problem, Chemung County is now providing all IT and purchasing services for the City of Elmira. We are also working with the City to consolidate our highway departments into a single operation. We recently signed an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Big Flats to provide administrative and personnel supervision to their highway department. We are also looking at opportunities to share and consolidate engineering and IT functions with the Town. We are offering these same services, including an array of financial and budgetary services, to every municipality in our county. As we move forward, this sharing of services on a county-wide level would substantially lower costs to local taxpayers."

"Governor Cuomo is to be commended for presenting a responsible budget that reduces deficits and reduces taxes while putting New York taxpayers and New York businesses first. The Governor's budget encourages growth across Upstate NY to create jobs and opportunities for New Yorkers. Governor Cuomo should be particularly proud of this budget given where we were just a few short years ago. To come from a $10 billion deficit to a $2 billion surplus in just three short years is remarkable and I look forward to working with the Governor and his team to keep the momentum going in Upstate New York."

"In the last three years, Governor Cuomo has proved to be a committed partner to Suffolk County. He recognizes that high property taxes remain a high burden on our homeowners and that we need to continue to attract new businesses to our region. His State of the State agenda will address just that and continue to push New York on a path to economic growth. From tax relief to exciting proposals for our education system to rebuilding our communities after Sandy, the Governor's agenda for this year is full of promising initiatives. I applaud his vision and offer any support to push it forward."

"Governor Cuomo's efforts to reduce some of the highest property taxes in the nation are to be commended. In Rockland County, I pledge to work with the Governor, our Albany delegation and my fellow County Executives to drive down the cost of living. We cannot allow sky-high taxes to continue to force families and jobs out of our state."

"Governor Cuomo’s 2014-15 spending plan succeeds in identifying key factors which have contributed to some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Sky-high property taxes drive people and jobs out of our state. As his budget proposals are debated over the coming months, I look forward to working with the governor and his staff to bring greater tax relief to Orange County families and employers."

"I applaud Governor Cuomo’s emphasis on property tax relief and containing the growth of mandates as keys to moving New York forward. From his proposal to freeze property taxes to his shared services initiatives to foster local investment in cutting edge technology, he continues to demonstrate the kind of leadership that will improve the quality of life of the residents of our State."

Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature DuWayne Gregory said,

"I applaud Governor Cuomo's proposal to freeze property taxes for two years," said Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory. "A property tax freeze will provide substantial tax savings for state residents and will act as a powerful tool to attract new business to the state and create jobs. The Suffolk County Legislature understands the vital importance of lessening the property tax burden and that is why we have not raised general fund property taxes or have decreased general fund property taxes in Suffolk County for the last 11 years."

Chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors and Victor Town Supervisor Jack Marren said,

"I applaud the Governor's continued focus on property tax relief and education! Three years ago when Governor Cuomo ran for this office he identified the need to scale back on the vast amount of Local Governments throughout this State. Three years later he continues down this road, but this time he is establishing standards that will challenge local governments to share service, or consolidate governments. Establishing a universal pre-kindergarten for ALL school districts Statewide is the ultimate investment in our youth. Today’s students are tomorrows State Residents and Tomorrows State leaders; I cannot think of a better area to invest financially for the future!"

"Governor Cuomo has an enduring vision of a better New York, where living here is more affordable to working families and seniors wanting to age in place, along with young professionals and new residents wanting to move up the economic ladder."

"Governor Cuomo's proposed Property Tax Freeze is one more example of his smart, no nonsense approach to reducing the burden for Westchester County's overtaxed residents. These times demand his style of no fooling, no handholding leadership. He's correct that municipalities must look for opportunities to consolidate or share services. This call for creation of greater purchase power and reduction of redundancies will stop the runaway train driving New Yorkers from their very homes. I admire Governor Cuomo greatly for, once again, standing up for taxpayers and blazing the trail ahead."

"The Governor's commitment to reducing taxes for homeowners and businesses is necessary to ensure the residents of New York State can thrive. The Governor continues to stand up for taxpayers and encourage efficiency on all levels of government."

"As a long time Mayor of a small Upstate City, I am acutely aware of the onerous property tax burden not only on my residents but of residents of the State of New York. I applaud the Governor as he "Gets It" he understands the problem and the tremendous burden that New York taxpayers have to shoulder in the form of property taxes. It is important and necessary that we all pull together and work with the Governor to provide true property tax relief for all New Yorkers."

"I applaud the governor's efforts to help reduce property taxes with his tax reform initiative. I am especially supportive of his efforts to encourage consolidation and shared services; something I have been pushing in the City of Norwich and Chenango County for many years."

"As the Mayor of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco I will continue to support the property tax cap initative. I am committed to managing operating costs by pursuing inter-municipal agreements that consolidate services and enhance the efficiencies of government."

"One of the most burdensome taxes in New York is the property tax. Governor Cuomo has long been committed to relieving New York taxpayers from the burden of high property taxes, DeStefano said. "I support the Governor’s tax cap proposal realizing that it would make our job on the local level more challenging. Governor Cuomo set the example of responsible leadership on the state level, and along with his commitment to cap property taxes, the Governor also said he would put forth a program to relieve the property tax burden on homeowners. This proposal does just that."

"I applaud Governor Cuomo and the 2014-15 Executive Budget for making even further progress in moving the Empire State forward. This budget will reduce the overall tax burden for our citizens and businesses while making welcomed investments in critical areas such as education, infrastructure, and housing. I look forward to working with Governor Cuomo and I applaud his leadership as we work to make Upstate New York even better place to work, live and do business."

"In the Governor’s State of the State address, he challenged local governments to find ways to achieve savings for taxpayers and provided welcome and reasonable incentives that we are ready to meet. Working families, property owners and corporations will experience tax relief while local governments continue to look for ways to share services and reduce costs."

"I applaud the Governor's commitment to tax reform and his plan to offer meaningful incentives to entities which are successful in maintaining or reducing their tax levies. In Southampton Town we have operated well within the 2% tax cap for four consecutive years through creative restructuring, all while navigating an economic downturn and paying down multi-million dollar deficits. It's not easy, but it can be done."

"I commend Governor Cuomo for his efforts to grow our economy and create new jobs while proposing sensible tax relief to businesses and property owners. While we have had great achievements over the last few years, we need to continue working hard in 2014 to cut taxes that will create even more jobs and economic opportunity for all New Yorkers. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and Governor Cuomo this year to build on what we’ve already achieved together and make New York State a better place for all New Yorkers."

"The plan laid out in Governor Cuomo's State of the State address is an exciting one for Babylon Township. Growing the economy continues to be one of my highest priorities, and the Governor's tax relief package - which proposes more than $2 billion in tax cuts, credits, and reforms - will go a long way to saving our residents money, growing our local businesses and ultimately creating jobs. On top of this responsible fiscal reform, the Governor has proposed a variety of measures to strengthen our infrastructure in the face of extreme weather, bring our schools to the cutting edge with technology and high-quality educators, and protect women's rights throughout society. All of these are items that will benefit the Babylon community, and I commend the Governor for his proactive approach to creating a safer, stronger, and more fair New York."

"Governor Cuomo has recently announced details of a more than $2 billion tax relief proposal. It is my pleasure to stand in support of the Governor’s proposal as this is designed to grow our economy and to offer help to our taxpayers. As the Supervisor of the Town of Riverhead, I appreciate Governor Cuomo’s commitment to tax reform. The Governor’s efforts of providing property tax relief for New York homeowners as well as businesses can enhance the State's economic competitiveness thereby increasing economic development opportunities right here in the Town of Riverhead. This can attract new businesses to our town and help grow existing ones by creating more jobs for our residents. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Cuomo to help lower taxes for New Yorkers and to build a more friendly business climate for our local job creators."

"Governor Cuomo's agenda for 2014 is a promising one for Irondequoit. His plan to grow the economy with more than $2 billion in tax cuts and reform proposals is one that will make New York more affordable for millions of homeowners and it will help businesses throughout the region prosper and create jobs. I commend the Governor for presenting this bold plan to move New York state forward."

"I commend the Governor for his continued work to make New York more affordable for families and businesses. He recognizes that high property taxes burden our homeowners and his initiatives will provide much needed relief to our residents."

Town Supervisor of Keene, Vice Chairman of Essex County Board of Supervisors Bill Ferebee said,

"It is refreshing to have a Governor that consistently lays out budget priorities that push New York forward. After decades of late and irresponsible budgets, Governor Cuomo has put forth a plan that continues to provide relief for the middle class and working families, while rebuilding our infrastructure and continuing to invest in education."

"The Governor has sounded the right chord in his budget proposals by embracing the recommendations of the Pataki-McCall Commission on Tax Reform. These reforms will produce both immediate and long term cost savings for home owners in our community. But we can’t sustain low property tax rates without more jobs, and the Governor’s call for an 8 ½% tax cut for businesses – in addition to his StartUp NY initiative – ought to make business owners all across our country sit up and take notice. His support for a second round of SUNY 2020 is welcome news, especially to the host community for one of our state universities. Building a better public education system is critical to making New Yorkers more competitive in the global marketplace. The Governor gets it."

"The HIA-LI commends Governor Cuomo's foresight in developing his property tax relief proposal. On Long Island where taxes are some of the highest in the nation this proposal can provide nearly $1 billion in well needed relief, states Terri Alessi-Miceli, President HIA-LI."

"Governor Cuomo's budget includes a lot of good news for Long Island taxpayers and the Long Island Association urges the State Legislature to approve his proposed reductions in business, estate, energy and property taxes as these cuts will improve the business climate and spur economic growth in our region."

"In the last three years, Governor Cuomo has made it a priority to make New York State an easier place to do business and we are seeing the results. Now, under his latest budget plan, the Governor is finding new ways to provide tax relief to businesses and New Yorkers. The Governor’s tax relief plan, which includes major cuts to property taxes, and incentives for consolidation of services, will allow New York’s businesses to reinvest savings grow and create new jobs – and that is good for all New Yorkers."

“We applaud the Governor for putting forward an array of proposals that focus on tax reform. The need for reform is absolutely critical to the well being of the State. His incentive plan for real property tax rebates will help municipalities and school districts as they consider and even try out new approaches. Of particular interest to the Hudson Valley is the encouragement that this type of tax reform gives to the sharing of services. It is forcing new discussions that we never dreamed possible about sharing services. Is it difficult ...yes.....impossible ...no! Let's keep going"

“It is refreshing to start the year with a series of reforms and proposals that could meaningfully move our state forward economically. Rather than preparing to fend off further escalations in New York’s already crushing tax burden, Governor Cuomo has laid out plans to provide property tax relief for homeowners; tax reductions for upstate manufacturers, cutting their corporate tax rate to zero; calling for estate tax reform that will greatly benefit small business owners, and modernizing the corporate tax structure with a reduction in the corporate franchise tax.”

Orange County Chamber of Commerce, John D'Ambrosio, President & CEO said,

“Helping business make or save money is the primary goal of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. So, meaningful efforts that address the onerous tax burden for businesses in New York State are to be applauded. The tax relief package proposed by Gov. Cuomo, then, is welcome news.”

"It is essential that New York implement strategies that will modernize its system of local governments in order to provide a foundation that makes New York a place that will attract business investment and attract population. Governor Cuomo's proposed property tax reform package is a step in the right direction in that it provides tax relief for communities that are actively engaged in local government efficiency programs that will reduce layers of units of local government."

"Governor Cuomo has been leading on the issue of reigning in taxes and spending. Our families and businesses on LI are crippled by high taxes and we support the governor's efforts on this critical issue. I look forward to working with the governor on cutting taxes and this plan is a bold step in the right direction."

"The Long Island Builders Institute, the largest residential home building trade association in New York State, strongly supports the legislative and budget proposals of Governor Cuomo to provide additional real property tax relief to the residents of Long Island, said Mitchell H. Pally, Chief Executive Officer of LIBI. It is essential that Long Island housing opportunities be available to all of our residents, including our middle class, which continues to face enormous financial pressures. The only way to reduce these pressures and ensure that they can continue to live on Long Island is much needed real property tax relief and these legislative proposals which make this a reality. Long Island will be a much better place to live with such real property tax relief and we applaud Governor Cuomo for his continued support on this issue."

"Property taxes have long undermined the competitive advantage of communities in their efforts to retain and attract businesses and remain a deterrent for investment. The Governor’s Tax Freeze plan puts in motion a process that will help drive down property taxes by encouraging efficiencies in the delivery of government services and creating an environment where residential property owners have a greater stake in that discussion.”

“LI communities have been crushed under the tax burden imposed on residents and businesses for far too long. Governor Cuomo is taking a much needed leadership role in freezing taxes and focusing on taking action to change the culture of high taxes that has hurt our region for decades. We look forward to working with the governor on continuing this path to free New York State residents from the bondage of high property taxes.”

"Many residents of the Village of Lakewood continue to sustain a tremendous local tax burden. We have seen our taxes rise at rates approaching and crossing at times the 10% mark on an annual basis. Historically, residents have tried to address the burden in various ways, including a failed attempt at dissolving the Village of Lakewood. Having moved my family here from the suburbs of Boston, where the housing costs are substantially higher, I continue to recoil at the fact that our taxes in NYS approach three times what we paid in Massachusetts. I strongly support the Governor's proposal to encourage more efficiency in local governments and provide taxpayers some tax relief."

"In a few short years, the Governor has taken concrete steps that have changed the perception of New York as a place to do business in a dramatic and positive way. The Governor's commitment to improving the business climate in the state, supporting the education of our young people from pre-kindergarten through college and protecting the environment will provide real benefits now and for generations to come."

"Governor Cuomo’s plan to freeze property taxes and provide tax relief to low and middle income homeowners is welcome news in our community. Property owners in this state know full well how much of their paychecks go to paying local taxes, and it is long overdue that these taxes stop going up. I am pleased to join the Governor in his efforts to freeze and cut property taxes, and support our hardworking families."

"For too long, New Yorkers have been saddled with some of the nation’s highest property taxes. These taxes have been an outsized burden on families and businesses, and they have contributed significantly to our economic challenges in the past. The Governor’s proposal to reduce property taxes will result in widespread benefits, allowing businesses in our region to flourish and lessening the financial burden for Upstate residents. I stand by the Governor in calling for an end to New York’s status as the tax capital of the nation – and that means we must cut property taxes this year."

"I strongly support the Governor's property tax freeze as a supportive effort to municipalities like Dunkirk where we have been working hard to cut the costs for our taxpayers. I am pleased that the Governor recognizes the property tax burden and is partnering with local officials to do something about it."

"We made progress in 2011 with the first-ever property tax cap enacted by Governor Cuomo. I commend him for his unwavering leadership to reduce the tax burden on our families and will work alongside him this year to make certain that we accomplish this."

"It is encouraging that Governor Cuomo has been able to push property tax relief to the forefront of the agenda in Albany while aggressively addressing the need for consolidation and shared services on the local level. I support the Governor in this effort and am looking forward to working with the new Legislature in Montgomery County as we continue our ongoing efforts to be more efficient and create economic opportunities for County residents."

"It is important for counties like Herkimer, that in order to move forward and grow we must look at creative ways of consolidation and stream-lining of government services. I support Governor Cuomo's property tax plan as a way to address the issue of burdensome property taxes and consolidation."

"I support and commend Governor Cuomo on his plan for property tax relief and consolidation, which is long overdue. I look forward to working with the Governor and County Executive Matt Ossenfort in giving these municipalities the tools they need to share services and cut taxes."

"Property taxes are one of the biggest factors that impact the cost of living here in New York, and when we provide relief, it provides great benefits to our families and businesses. I commend Governor Cuomo for paving the way to property tax relief, and look forward to working with him to find relief from the daunting challenges presented to county government, as we continue to strive to make government more efficient and deliver results for all our families in Albany County."

"I recognize the impact of property taxes on our local taxpayers, and Governor Cuomo is right to make tackling the issue of New York’s high-tax reputation one of his top priorities. Finding ways to reduce the cost of government while still providing essential services is an important part of serving our residents, and I commend Governor Cuomo for working with us to explore ways to bring relief to Rockland’s property owners."